Transformation Story

Today we want to celebrate and highlight Valentino Avila as he just got his driver’s license! As a Trainee, Valentino has been in and out of Homeboy Industries' doors for the past few years and is recently making amazing strides. Read More

Domestic Violence

Homeboy Industries is dedicated to providing the resources for people to move beyond their past and build a new future for themselves and their family. That is one reason we have a 52-week batterer’s intervention program.

This comprehensive L.A. County Probation Department approved program is for perpetrators of domestic violence, and many participants are able to fulfill court mandates and break cycles of violence in their families.

Christy Stillwell facilitates the program, and along with her husband Ralph Paez Jr., works with both perpetrators and victims of domestic violence throughout the week, facilitating anger management classes, sourcing services, and providing general support to those that walk through our doors.

Seven years ago, Christy came to Homeboy Industries
looking for employment and began working in the Homegirl Café. Her case
manager, knowing Christy’s story, eventually approached her with an opportunity
to become a domestic violence class facilitator at Homeboy Industries. Herself
a victim of domestic violence, Christy had long envisioned becoming an advocate
for victims of domestic violence. There was a catch: this position would
require working with the perpetrators of the violence, not the victims. Unsure
if the position was right for her, Christy sought guidance from a trusted
contact at her old agency: “She said to me, ‘By you helping one man realize
that hitting a woman is not okay, you are saving a woman from becoming a
victim.’ It all made sense to me. So today, that’s what I do—I work with the
batterers. I like to say we come here to unlearn, to relearn a new way.”

If you suspect you or someone you love is
involved in an abusive relationship, call The National Domestic Violence
Hotline immediately at 1-800-799-7233 to find local support.

Transformation Story

Meet Angela

Congratulations to our very own, Angela Najera! Today we celebrate a huge victory for her as it is her first day off of probation in six years. As a trainee, Angela is an integral part of Homeboy Industries, working as an Executive Assistant to the CEO.